The 2009 Collioure Puig Ambeille - 70% Mourvedre, 30% Grenache - was bottled last December. (Campadieu and Cantie did not bottle a corresponding 2008.) Briny, saline notes in the nose are joined by bay, violet, beef blood, plum paste, and chocolate, all of which persist on a well-concentrated palate. Bitter, resinous hints of juniper and rosemary add invigoration to a tenacious and satisfyingly juicy finish. Vincent Cantie lamented the extent to which the two most recent vintages we tasted together in April illustrated the tendency for alcohol levels in Collioure to steadily increase. He and partner Christine Campadieu are actively seeking options in vine management to retard sugar accretion on the signature terraces of their appellation and to promote elegance and freshness. That said, while extremely ripe, their red raw materials from vintage 2010 were already impressively complex. Importer: Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Berkeley, CA; tel. (510) 524-1524